Concerns over such checks grew last March after a French scientist was denied entry to the country when border agents searched his phone. Step 2: Back up your phone before travellingImportant photos, documents and contacts should be backed up to the cloud or another device. This protects personal data if a phone is held temporarily and keeps most content out of scope during inspections. In the US, authorities can conduct basic device searches without a warrant and, in some cases, use advanced tools. 'Knowing this helps travellers understand the potential scope of an inspection and why minimising stored data matters.'

Source: Daily Mail January 18, 2026 19:43 UTC